Is Multitasking Making You Fat?

Multitasking while you eat may make you gain weight. had 44 people (half men, half women) either eat lunch with no distractions or while playing the card game solitaire on a computer. The researchers kept the amount of food consumed at lunch the same with all participants. After lunch, they asked the participants their level of hunger and fullness. About 30 minutes later, they offered them biscuit snacks and the participants could eat as many as they wanted.

Even though they all ate the same amount of food at lunch, the participants that played solitaire while eating lunch felt about 15 percent less full and ate almost twice as many biscuits as those that had no distractions during lunch.

And remember that this suggestion is good for adults as well as children. Another study showed setting limits on screen time has many positive health benefits for kids too.

So here’s an easy tip to take home or to work when you sit down with that soup and sandwich: Put down the remote. Hands off the mouse. Just sit. Eat. Enjoy. You’ll eat less later and your waistline will love you for it.